Corn shredding and husking machine.



No. 722,429. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.-

. W. B. MARTINDALE.

CORN SHREDDING AND HUSKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1901.

10 MODEL. a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

W. B. MARTINDALE. CORN SHREDDING AND HUSKING MACHINE;

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1901. v

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N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED MAR. 10,- 1903.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 19 01.

6 SHEETS SHEET 3.

K0 MODEL.

E mm 55m A wN Z 8 W. W 7 z a 5 M x $ZE==== i m a w No. 722,429. PATENTEDMAR. 10, 1903. w. B. MARTINDALE.

CORN SHREDDING AND HUSKING MACHINE. I APPLIOATION P'ILED sm T. 20, 1901.30 MODEL. 6 SHBETSSHBET 4.

THE Ncpms vzrzns co. PHDTO-L'ITHQ, WASHINGTON, u. c.

No.-722,429. 4 PATENTED MA R.10,190 3. w. B. MARTINDALE.

CORN SHREDDING AND HUSKING MACHINE. I A PPIiIOATIOi! FILED SBPT.20,1901.

no MODEL. 7 e sums-451mm a.

No. 722,429.- PATENTED MAR. 10', 1903.

' W. B. MARTINDALBi CORN SHREDDING AND HUSKING MACHINE. APPLIOATIONFILED 552120, 1901.

.xo MODEL. 6 sums-51mm 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN B. MARTINDALE, OF ROCHESTER, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO OORN KINGHUSKER COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, INDIANA, A OORPORATION OF INDIANA.

CORN SHREDDING AND HUSKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,429, dated March10, 1903. Application filed $eptember 20, 1901. Serial No. 75,951. (Nomodel.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN B. MARTIN- DALE, of Rochester, in the countyof Fulton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Corn Shredding and Husking Machines, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specifito cation.

My invention relates to corn shredding and husking machines; and myobjects are to provide a simple and improved form of shreding-eylinder,to provide means for immedi- I 5 ately relieving any congestion ortendency to clogging by reason of the stoppage or accumulation ofmaterial in front of the snappingrolls, and thereby avoid the dangerincident to an attempt to remove such obstructions by.

hand, and also to provide improved means for causing the ears of corn tobe brought into proper contact with the husking-rolls to cause saidrolls to grasp and remove the husks, thereby preventing any of the earsfrom pass- 2 5 ingover the rolls without being hu'sked, while permittingof the use of shorter teeth in said rolls and reducing to a minimum thepercentage of corn shelled in the process of husking.

While I believe myself to be the first to discover and apply anyedective means in combination with snapping-rolls for mechanicallyremoving obstructions to the entrance between said rolls, I am awarethat rakes arranged to vibrate transversely of the path of the grainhave'been employed for distributing small grain in self-feeding devicesfor threshing-machines. I make no claim to such construction nor theobject designed to be accomplished thereby. The purpose, manner 40 ofconstruction, and method of operation of my invention are entirelydistinct therefrom, the purpose of my invention being to avoid thedanger of accidents resulting from attempts to remove obstructions fromthe entrance to the snapping-rolls of a corn shredding and huskingmachine, to assist the rolls in snapping the ears of corn from thestalks, and to increase the feeding capacity of the machine. Iaccomplish this object by the employment of rigid teeth. or serrations,in combination with and in close proximity to said snapping-rolls,whereby the rolls and teeth coact together in the removal of suchobstructions, said serrations or teeth being located immediately infront of the snappingrolls and slightly above and below the plane oftheir meeting faces have no efiect on stalks passing normally in theircourse, but only operate to agitate any undue accumulation of materialin front of said rolls, and thereby asoo sist the rolls in the removalthereof.

Various means have been employed for pressing the ears of corn againstthe huskingrolls, all of which are more or less complicated andcumbersome and none of which are capable of producing as satisfactoryresults as are obtained by my improvement. What I regard as the bestmeans for accomplishing these results is hereinafter more specificallyset forth and the novel features thereof designated in the claims.

In the drawings, "Figure l is a side elevation, partly in verticalsection and partly broken away, of a machine embodying the features ofmy invention. Fig. 2 is a plan 5 view thereof, the top being removed toshow the working parts. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional viewtaken upon the line x 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional view indetail taken upon the liner; 4), Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlargedperspective view, partly in section, of a portion of my improvedcylinder. Fig. 6 is a face view'of one of the yielding pressure-padsemployed in connection with the husking-rolls. Fig. 7 is a verticalsectional view thereof, taken upon the line y y, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is afront view, partly in central section, of a modified form of cylinder.Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view thereof, taken upon the line .2.2, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 isa 0 detail view showing one of the sheet-metalblanks from which the tooth-supporting body and teeth are formed. Fig.11 is a detail view in perspective of a portion of one of thesheet-metal tooth-bearing sections, and 5 Fig. 12 is a central verticalsectional view of a portion of the machine intended more especially toshow the relative position of the snapping-rolls and vibratory rakes orshakers for relieving any tendency to congestion or clogging in front ofthe snapping-rolls.

Like reference-numerals in the different figures designate correspondingparts.

The frame 1 of the machine, as will be seen by the drawings, is providedwith horizontal bars 2 2 at the top and extending lengthwise thereof,upon which are mounted bearings for the shaft 3 of a shredding-cylinder4, in front of which is located the usual feed or snapping rolls 55,with the upper one of which is connected compression-springs 6,arranged to operate in the customary manner. A pulley 7, Fig. 2, mountedupon the cylindershaft, serves to drive the latter, while a pinion 8,keyed to the opposite end of said shaft, is adapted to actuate the lowersnapping-roll by means of a spur-gear 9, into which it meshes. Aspur-gear 10, meshing into the gear 9, is mounted upon and serves todrive a shaft 11, having keyed thereto a series of beveled gears 12,Fig. 4, which engage with corresponding gears 13, arranged in the usualway to drive the husking-rolis 14, which are arranged parallel to eachother and connected in pairs by means of gears in the usual way, so asto be rotated in opposite directions.

I will first describe my improved means for instantly relievingcongestion or clogging of the stalks or ears of corn immediatelyin frontof the snapping-rolls, next the construction of my improvedshredding-cylinder, and, finally, my improved means for pressing theears of corn against the huskiug-rolls.

Located immediately in front of the snapping-rolls and inclineddownwardly is an apron consisting of a framework having inclinedlongitudinal side pieces 15 15, Fig. 4, rigidly attached to cross-bars16 16, the former of which is shown in said figure and the latter inFig. 3, said cross-bars having lateral end projections 17 17, which areloosely supported in sliding bearings, as shown, in the framework.Attached to said framework is a sheet-metal covering 18, which forms theapron proper, the same being corrugated or grooved, as shown, the lowerportion or valleys of said grooves being in the vertical planes,respectively, of the spaces between the several pairs of basking-rolls,the object being that when the ears of corn fall upon the apron from thesnapping-rolls they will thereby be guided in to proper alinement withthe husking-rolls. Keyed to the shaft 11 is a cam 19, Figs. 4 and 12,the groove 20 of which is in engagement with a pin 21, rigidly attachedto and depending from the cross-bar 16. The entire apron and frame isfree to move laterally and is adapted to be vibrated by the action ofthe cam when the shaft is rotated. The cross-bar 16 at the upper end ofthe apron is provided with teeth 22, Figs. 3 and 12, the points of whichextend upwardly to the horizontal plane immediately in front of andbelow the meeting faces of the snapping-rolls. One of the extensions 17is pivotally attached to one end of a vibratory lever 23, pivoted at 24to a bracket 25, rigidly attached to the frame. The other end of thelever-arm 23 is pivotally attached to a supporting-rod 26, whichserves'to support one end of a cross-bar 27, the other end of which issupported by means of a similar rod 28, said rods 26 and 28 beingadapted to slide in suitable bearings in the frame. The cross-bar 27 isprovided with depending teeth 29. As the apron, and with it the serratedbar 16, is vibrated the lever arm 23 is actuated, and through it thetoothed bar or rake 27, said bar being moved in opposite directions. Theresult of this action is that as the stalks are fed into the rolls anytendency toward congestion or clogging in the snapping-rolls isimmediatelyrelieved by the agitation produced by the positive lateralmovement of said teeth.

While I have shown two serrated bars, one above and the other below thestalks as they are fed to the rolls, I preferably employ but one, thatbelow the pathway of the stalks producing the most satisfactory results.I have shown two forms of teeth, I do not confine myself to either or toboth combined, as the form maybe varied without departing from theprinciple involved.

The shredding-cylinder 4, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, forms another novel featureof my invention. It consists of heads or end disks 29, having hubs 30,which are keyed to the shaft 3. Bolted, as shown at 31, Fig. 5, tosuitable lugs formed upon said heads are parallel angle-irons 32, whichserve not only to connect the two heads, but as supports for asheetmetal strip 33, which is rigidly connected to one of said heads atone end, from whence it is wrapped in a spiral form around the bars 32,as clearly shown, and connected in like manner to the other head. Teeth34 are cut from the sheet metal strip and bent outwardly at right anglesthereto. This construction is obviously simple and cheap, as well asstrong and durable.

I will now describe my improved means for bringing the ears of corn intooperative contact with the husking-rolls 14.

Attached to the bars 25 25 upon opposite sides of the frame is a rigidhorizontal crossbar 36, upon which is pivoted a shaking-lever 27 and asuspending link connection 38, the ends of which are pivotally connectedwith lugs 39 39, bolted to ahorizontal bar 40, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7.Hinged to the lower edge of the bar 40, as more clearly shown at 41,Figs. 6 and 7, are a series of sheet-metal plates or pads 42, theloweredges of which are rounded and provided with upwardly-bent flanges.Said pads conform in number to that of the several pairs ofhusking-rolls and are located above the same, the center line of a padwhen in its normal position being in the vertical While IIO planebetween the two coacting rolls. A'flat bent spring 43 has one endrigidly attached, a

by means of screws or bolts, to the face of the bar 40, while the freeend is in engagement with and serves to press down upon the hinged pad42. The upper end of the lever-arm 37 is connected, by means of a pitman44, to a crank 45 upon a shaft 46, having a beveled gear 47 upon one endin operative engagement with a like gear 48 upon the shaft 11. Therotation of the crank serves to impart a vibratory motion to thelever-arm 37, thereby actuating the bar 40, to which is imparted anoscillatory motion partaken of in turn by the spring-depressed pads 42,which are pressed downwardly with a yielding pressure against thehusking-rolls 14. As the ears of corn pass downwardly over thehusking-rolls they are engaged by the spring-pads, which oscillate overand at the same time press them down into contact with the rolls in sucha way that the husks are grasped by the rolls and removed.

In Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, I have shown a modified construction ofcylinder in which the shaft 3, heads 29, and angle-iron supports 32 aresubstantially the same as in that above described; but in lieu of thecontinuous sheetmetal band 33 I have substituted a series of sheet-metalsections 49, having teeth 50,which are formed upon the edge of asheet-metal strip, as shown in Fig. 10, and then bent at right anglesthereto, as shown in Fig. 11, after which the strips are bolted orriveted to the angle-iron supports 32, preferably in the mannershown-that is to say, a portion or all of one strip is placed oppositethe space between the strips, at one end of which it is placed. Thiscauses the teeth to be so located that those upon one section willfollow in a different path from those of the next or preceding section.An obvious advantage of this construction is its cheapness and the factthat new sections can readily be substituted in case of breakage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the snappingrolls of a corn husking andshredding machine, of a cylinder consisting of suitable heads mountedupon a shaft, longitudinal bars connecting said heads at theirperipheries, and a sheet-metal strip wound spirally around said barsfrom one cylinder-head to the other, said strip being attached to saidsupportingbars and provided with outwardly-projecting teeth outtherefrom. I

2. The combination with the snappingrolls of a corn husking andshredding machine, of a cylinder consisting of suitable heads mountedupon a shaft, longitudinal bars connecting said heads at theirperipheries and a sheet-metal strip wound spirally around said bars fromone cylinder-head to the other with an intervening space between therespective convolu tions, said strip being attached to saidsupporting-bars and provided with outwardly-projecting teeth outtherefrom.

3. The combination with the snappingrolls of-a corn shredding andhusking machine, of means for supplementing the action of saidsnapping-rolls and preventing the clogging thereof, consisting of aseries of teeth or serrations mounted upon a movable support andarranged parallel with, in front of and in close proximity to themeeting faces of said snapping-rolls, and means for actuating the sameto coact with said rolls in removing the ears of corn from the stalks,and to prevent by agitation an abnormal accumulation of material infront of the rolls and the consequent clogging thereof.

4. The combination with the snappingrolls of a corn shredding andhusking machine of two sets of rigid serrations or teeth, each set beingmounted upon movable supports, and arranged parallel with, in front ofand in close proximity to the meeting faces of saidsnapping-rolls, oneof the sets of teeth or serrations being above and the other below theplane of the meeting faces of said rolls, and means for actuating sameto enable said teeth to coact with the said snappingrolls in removingthe ears of corn from the stalks and to prevent by agitation an abnormalaccumulation of material in front of the rolls and the consequentclogging thereof.

5. The combination with the snapping and husking rolls of a corn huskingand shredding machine, of an apron having valleys or corrugationstherein in alinement with the actin g faces of said husking-rolls, aseries of serrations or projections at the upper edge of said apron,said serrations being arranged below the horizontal plane of the meetingfaces of and parallel with said snapping-rolls and in front of and inclose proximity thereto, and means for impartinga lateral movement tosaid apron, substantially as and for the purposes herein described.

6. The combination with the snapping and husking rolls of a cornshredding and husking machine, of a horizontal bar arranged transverselyof said husking-rolls and above the same, means for supporting said barwhereby it may be moved back and forth longitudinally, means foroscillating the same longitudinally and a series of spring-controlledpresser-pads depending therefrom, located approximately in the severalvertical planes of the acting faces of said huskingrolls, whereby anoscillatory movement across and above said rolls may be' imparted tosaid presser-pads and the ears of corn brought into contact with therolls with a yielding pressure.

7. The combination with the husking-rolls of a corn shredding andhusking machine, of a cross-bar arranged above and transversely of saidrolls, means for suspending said bar whereby it may swing longitudinallyin the arc of a circle, means for oscillating said bar longitudinally,and a series of spring-actuated presser-plates hinged to said bar,whereby the ears of corn to be husked may be ing-rolls, whereby bunchingof the ears of corn may be avoided and said ears straightenedandpresented longitudinally to the husking-rolls.

In testimon y whereof I have signed this specification, in the presenceof two subscribing Witnesses, this 18th day of September, 1901.

WARREN B. MARTINDALE.

Witnesses:

ISAAC SAMUELS, ROBERT CATHERWOOD.

